This application relates generally to storage devices and more particularly to a printed circuit board connector for a storage device.
Data is transferred between a host computer and a storage device, such as a disc drive, by way of an interface, which typically includes a buffer to facilitate high-speed data transfer between the host computer and the storage device. Data to be written to or read from the storage device is thus passed between the host computer and the storage device interface and between the interface and a read/write channel. Generally, the storage device interface includes hardware and/or software that regulates transmission of data and manages the exchange of data between the storage device and the host computer. A standard committee such as American National Standard Institute (ANSI) oversees the adoption of an interface protocol by which any peripheral device following the common standard can be used interchangeably.
Although various types of storage device interface standards exist, the Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA) interface standard is widely used for interfaces between host computers and storage devices, such as disc drives. The ATA interface is an official ANSI standard designation for the interface between a storage device and a host computer. Generally, the ATA standard specification deals with the power and data signals interface between the motherboard in the host computer and the storage device controller in the storage device.
In connecting a disc drive to one more computers, the ATA interface standard introduces an interconnect specification. A previous ATA standard was known as the parallel ATA (PATA) interconnect specification. Originally introduced in the 1980s, the PATA interconnect specification has been the dominant internal storage interconnect for desktop and mobile computers. It has been used to connect storage devices such as hard drives, digital video disc drives, and compact disc drives to the motherboard. However, PATA has a number of limitations that are exhausting its ability to continue increasing performance to meet the demands of evolving storage devices and host computers.
The limitations in the PATA interconnect specification have led to the development of a new ATA specification, known as serialized, or serial, ATA. The serialized ATA specification includes detailed geometric dimensions for connections between the storage device and connecting cables or host computers. The specification calls for a device signal plug connector and a device power plug connector, each with different dimensions. The device plug connectors have contact pads formed on tabs extending from the device plug connectors. The device plug connectors further include leads extending from the contact pads to the circuit board of the storage device. The device plug connectors are often mounted onto storage device circuit boards and the leads from the device plug connectors are soldered onto electrically conductive elements of the circuit boards. Accordingly, the device plug connectors have incorporated contact pads and leads.
The contact pads and leads increase the manufacturing costs of the device plug connectors. Additionally, the procedure of connecting each lead of the device plug connectors to the circuit board increases manufacturing costs. For example, the circuit board and the connectors must be handled delicately during manufacturing to maintain the position of the solder contacts until they are soldered together. Accordingly there is a need for an improved circuit board edge connector that is compatible with standard specifications, such as the serialized ATA standards.
Against this backdrop the present invention has been developed. An embodiment of the present invention may be summarized as a connector for connecting a disc drive circuit board to a device outside the disc drive. The connector includes a circuit board tab forming part of the circuit board and extending from it. Contact pads are formed on the circuit board tab. A housing attached to the circuit board includes a housing tab extending from the housing, the housing tab being substantially parallel and adjacent to the circuit board tab, such that the circuit board tab and the housing tab together form a connecting tab.
Alternatively, an embodiment of the present invention may be summarized as a disc drive including a rotatable disc, a disc drive circuit board, and a connector for connecting the circuit board to a device outside the disc drive. The connector includes a substantially rectangular circuit board tab forming part of the circuit board and extending from it. Contact pads are formed on the circuit board tab. The connector also includes a housing attached to the circuit board that includes a housing tab extending from the housing in the first direction, the housing tab being substantially parallel to and abutting the circuit board tab, such that the housing tab and the circuit board tab together form a connecting tab.
Stated still another way, an embodiment of the present invention is a disc drive having a disc mounted for rotation on a spindle motor. The disc drive includes a printed circuit board and means for electrically and mechanically connecting the circuit board to a device outside the disc drive.
These and various other features as well as advantages which characterize the present invention will be apparent from a reading of the following detailed description and a review of the associated drawings.